The Payback
Encyclopedia
The Payback is a 1973 double album
by James Brown
. It was originally scheduled to become the soundtrack
for the blaxploitation
film Hell Up in Harlem
, but was rejected by director Larry Cohen
for "not being funky enough." It went to #1 on the Soul Albums chart for two weeks and cracked the Pop Albums chart in the Top 40.
The Payback is considered a high point in Brown's recording career, and is now regarded by critics as a landmark funk
album. Its revenge
-themed title track
, a #1 R&B hit, is one of his most famous songs and an especially prolific source of samples
for record producer
s. Musically the album is largely based around cyclic grooves and jamming, but it also features departures into a softer soul
-based sound on tracks like "Doing the Best I Can".
The album was reissue
d on CD in 1992 with liner notes by Alan Leeds
.
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
by James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
. It was originally scheduled to become the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for the blaxploitation
Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
film Hell Up in Harlem
Hell Up in Harlem
Hell Up in Harlem is a 1973 blaxploitation film, starring Fred Williamson and Gloria Hendry. The film was written and directed by Larry Cohen...
, but was rejected by director Larry Cohen
Larry Cohen
Lawrence G. "Larry" Cohen is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is best known as a B-Movie auteur of horror and science fiction films - often containing a police procedural element - during 1970s and 1980s...
for "not being funky enough." It went to #1 on the Soul Albums chart for two weeks and cracked the Pop Albums chart in the Top 40.
The Payback is considered a high point in Brown's recording career, and is now regarded by critics as a landmark funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
album. Its revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
-themed title track
The Payback (song)
"The Payback" is a funk song by James Brown, the title track from his 1973 album of the same name. The song's lyrics, originally written by trombonist and bandleader Fred Wesley but heavily revised by Brown himself soon before it was recorded, concern the revenge he plans to take against the man...
, a #1 R&B hit, is one of his most famous songs and an especially prolific source of samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
for record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s. Musically the album is largely based around cyclic grooves and jamming, but it also features departures into a softer soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
-based sound on tracks like "Doing the Best I Can".
The album was reissue
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
d on CD in 1992 with liner notes by Alan Leeds
Alan Leeds
Alan Leeds is American music executive, tour manager, production manager, writer and archivist best known for his work organizing performances and concert tours for artists such as James Brown, Prince, D'Angelo and Chris Rock. In addition to his career in management for artists, Leeds is...
.
Track listing
- Note: The track time for "Mind Power" is from the 1992 re-release of the album. The original 1973 version is 90 seconds shorter.
Charts
Album — Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Billboard's Pop Albums | 34 |